One Week of Falling for You
by The Pepper Pot
Summary: The war in Amestris is finally over and Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye join the rest of the military to the beach in Brittania. Just your average light and fluffy feel good story between our favourite military couple. I could tell you more, but in all honesty, it's been over a year since I've read it and have no idea. Suicide warning.
1. Chapter 1

Victory party. As if this was the time to be celebrating. We won, sure, but we have a long way to go as far as reconstruction. Riza was up later than she normally did due to the fact that she was packing for the beach trip her grandfather, the current fuhrer of Amestris, had proclaimed for the whole of the military and anyone involved, each of the five bases in turn so as to leave Amestris secure while they vacationed in Britannia.

It was the first vacation Riza Hawkeye had been on in about three years; the troubles after Ishvall had kept her busy for some time and then she always had to schedule her time off around Roy Mustang's as she was his body guard. Not that she minded one bit; being with him was better than any exotic place she could go alone. And besides, she enjoyed his company. Even though she spent every on-duty moment with him, she never tired of his company.

It was always like that; ever since she was a little girl, she had followed him everywhere. She had followed him to Ishvall and into the military, and had promised to watch his back even into hell if need be. She would always be at his side. Riza was Roy's bodyguard and best friend.

Though the war was technically over, there was still very little in the way of consumer goods, and Riza couldn't buy much new for the trip. Everything was rationed and though she had lived well, she had lived well through the military. The only thing she had bought was a swim suit. The military did not provide one which nodded towards a vacation and she needed to hide her tattoo. Swim dresses, when they could be found, were very much a sought after item and her simple purple swim dress cost her 30,000 cenz (a little over 30 US dollars).

Smiling, she placed it carefully into her bag long with her blouse and the two extra skirts she had packed; one floral for the beach, and one black pencil skirt for any meetings or formal occasions which might come up. She would travel in her uniform and carry three guns.

Lieutenant Hawkeye woke up the next day to Black Hayate licking her feet. Her alarm had rung, but she was so accustomed to it she couldn't wake to it anymore. A new alarm will be nice, once they're being manufactured again and won't cost me a fortune. She dressed quickly, fed Hayate, and set off to the kennel and then to the station where she would meet up with Roy Mustang in his private car. Now that he was promoted to Major General, he always rode in the privacy of his own car. Only she would have been permitted to come with him, even if another were his body guard. She smiled at this as she walked along the platform. We understand each other like nobody else can even imagine.

She arrived at his car and climbed in to find him napping across a loveseat, which was bolted to the floor. The sound of the footsteps, so familiar and so frightening to him, woke him and he jerked upright in a display of attentiveness as he scrambled to do his paperwork at a desk which was not there. When he noticed Riza looking at him humorously, he laughed. "I suppose I get to really rest for the next week."

Riza put her bag up in the storage rack next to Roy's and smiled back. "For once you'll get to sleep on your own time." She sat down next to him and added, "But not all the time, I hope; we haven't spent real time together in too long."

Roy took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Too true. Remember when we were little; I had just come to stay and study alchemy with your father and we always spent those long evenings together? Those were such innocent times. But you come armed, even at the beach now." Indeed, the grave little girl he had pitied and played with so that she wouldn't be bored and sad had turned into the most powerful, convincing women he had ever met. But she was always armed, even when she was safe as could be.

Riza grew grave; her gun was digging into Roy's leg, they were sitting so close. He couldn't have missed that for all it was concealed. She shifted so that they were both more comfortable. "Times change, but it'll be relaxing all the same. We haven't left Amestris since before the Isvallan Civil War."

"And we never did go together," Roy reminded her. "We just went to the same places at different times, and mostly within Amestris. It'll be nice this time, getting to see another land with you."

Riza smiled up at him and all but whispered, "You don't know the half of it." Perhaps Roy had heard, perhaps he hadn't, and it was hard to tell. As the train started moving, Roy dozed off again and his head slumped forward. She removed his boots and turned him sideway so that his head was in her lap so that his neck wouldn't crick as he slept. She ran her fingers through his hair as he slept for a little while. He looked so peaceful when he slept. Nothing like the burdons he carried in his waking hours. His killer's eyes were closed to the world and he seemed to either like the physical proximity or was having an especially good dream for once instead of the nigtmares she knew still plagued him. They plagued her too; they were the same mass murders of the Ishvallan Civil War, a sniper and an alchemist. After a while took out a book she had waited too long to read. For hours, they rode together in silence.

The train slowed as they reached the station. Roy had been awake for a few hours now and was reading out of some book on alchemy Riza didn't recognise. Riza had read a lot about alchemy when she was younger but had no skill in practical application and so had changed her course of study to political and military science. Roy had made a career out of it.

He noticed she was watching him, or perhaps it was just the change in momentum which made him look up, but she looked away embarrassed to have been caught in the act. He smiled at her and stood to put his book into this suitcase and collect his things as they rolled into the station. The train stopped, and Riza followed him out and stepped down to the platform where salty air washed over her.

The air had changed drasticly from the dry Amestrian air she was so used to back home. The sky was brighter here and the wind brought salt to her Riza's nose and eyes. It was a familiar sensation, but it had been since she was a little girl that she had seen the ocean or smelled anything like it, and it was all she could do to keep herself from whooping with glee like the little girl that she had been when she left. She was grinning from ear to ear, but checked herself as Roy turned around.

"You're all smiles, Riza," he noted. Setting down his suitcase, he took out a telegram and read over the directions to reach the hotel they were to stay at. Riza had not recived this telegram, as they were only sent to the senior officer of each set of housemates.

"It's been a long time since I've been on a vacation, sir-"

"Roy," he corrected her. Smiling back at Riza, he added, "I think we're familiar enough to call each other by our names when not on duty." Riza blushed a little at this show of friendliness and Roy took her bag from her, leaving her to walk with him, protesting that she could carry her own baggage just fine, thank you. It seemed silly to her that he thought it nessesary to help another soldier carry something as light as a change of clothes. Still, it's a chivilrous gesture.

The officers' hotels were a cluster of traditional looking condominiums with whitewashed walls and thatched roofs. The furniture was predominantly wicker and finely sanded driftwood. Overall, it leant to a light, pleasing, carefree atmosphere. Each condo was made of two sets of conjoining rooms with a common living room. Riza was exhausted after her long day's travel, but wanted to see the ocean as soon a possible.

As soon as she had packed away her military uniform and her formal skirt and shoes, Riza put on her old floral skirt and white blouse found her hat, and stepped out onto the beach barefooted, as she had when she was a child. Her long blonde hair was free to flow down her back in the breeze as she walked down to the water. If she closed her eyes, she could still hear her father's warning not to swim at night due to the dangers of sightlessness and her mother's laughter as she read the three part novels she loved so much while laying on the sand. She had been so young and only the infinite weariness used to be able to pull her from play. That was nearly twenty years ago now.

Smiling, she let the water wash over her toes as she wiggled them into the sand. Then she did hear a voice. For a second, she was confused, but then realized she wasn't alone after all. "Is everything as you remember?" Roy Mustang had walked up behind her and was watching the late afternoon sun flicker down over the water.

She nodded and then replied, "It's nice that some things don't, and can't, change. Even if...everything had fallen through, it would still be here today looking just as it is." The sun was glancing off Roy, turning his pale, toned body golden like the sand around them. He too had changed out of his uniform and a loose linen shirt hung open showing his muscles. With the wind blowing his hair like that, he... She caught herself staring and Roy gave a little smirk and she cast her glance out to the sun where he had been looking a moment ago. It was just touching the water now.

"Yeah. Nothing can ever get rid of the ocean, because it's too large and too complex; there's nothing equivalent to trade it for and so alchemy, even what we saw last spring-" Riza cut him off with a playful punch to the arm.

"How typical of an alchemist, you have a one-track mind and everything is placed in terms of alchemy." Roy took her hand and clasped it in his own.

"What's wrong wit that? It's how the world flows. Your father taught you too; you know that as well as I do."

Riza colored again and turned to the condo to hide it. It was nearing seven now and neither of them had eaten since that morning. She cleared her throat and said, "It's getting rather late; we should see about dinner."

Roy gave her another smirky smile. "Are you asking me on a date, Riza?"

She couldn't help it, she felt the bush rise, but in spite of it replied, "If you want it to be, sir-"

''Roy.''

"If you want it to be,...Roy." He grinned as she said his name. They trudged back to the condo to put their boots back on. They looked a little strange contrasting to the light summer clothing the both of the wore, but nobody was able to find leisure shoes at a reasonable price; too many of the shoe manufacturers had been converted to weapons factories, and with border skirmishes, there was little hope of a consumer economey in Amestris any time soon.

The two officers found a seafood buffet about mile away, and were pleased to find how much better the fresh seafood tasted compared to the preserved kind they could get in their own landlocked country. They were both exhausted, so conversation was sparing, but it was nice to spend the time together. On their way back, they planned to meet each other after breakfast to swim. When she finally lay down, Riza was so tired she fell right to sleep and didn't dream at all.

* * *

Okay, chapter one of my first multiple chapter story I wrote for this site. I haven't read it in over a year, myself, but I remember enjoying writing it a lot. Please tell me what you think of it!


	2. Chapter 2

Riza awoke not to the ring of her alarm or the cold wet tongue of her dog, but to the sunlight streaming through the cottage window across the whitewashed walls and onto her bed. She stretched and glanced at her plain steel officer's pocket watch to see that she had slept until nine thirty. Unlike the alchemist's watches, the officers received a steel watch with their name engraved on the inner lid as an additional identification. Riza sat up and walked over to the wash stand to pour water. The pitcher had been sitting in the sun and was pleasantly warm, and though it was fresh water, reminded her of the sea. She changed into her leisure outfit again and walked into the living room.

Roy Mustang was nowhere to be seen, so she assumed he was already out with some of the others. She still had time to meet up with her friends before she went swimming with Roy, so she picked up the condo's phone and called Rebecca and Maria's condo to arrange for a breakfast rendezvous. The phone rang so long she assumed they weren't in either, until a very fuzzy voice answer, "hello?"

Riza grinned. Of course, leave it to Rebecca to get wasted on the first day of vacation. She had a sneaking suspicion that Maria had an even worse hangover somewhere; she had to be the worst at holding alcohol. "Hi, Rebecca? It's Riza. Have you both had breakfast yet, or do you want to find some place for the three of us?"

There was silence for a minute before she heard Maria's voice on the other end. "Riza? Do you know what time it is? Why would we go to breakfast if it's still dark out?" As Riza had suspected, Maria Ross had a hangover.

Speaking softly so as to minimize any discomfort, Riza responded, "Maria, open your eyes, you're squinting against the sun." A moan came across the line and Riza realized it was worse than she had thought. "Its nine thirty now, and I'm assuming you two haven't eaten, then. I'll go to the store and bring Advil, alka seltzer, and baked goods and be there in half an hour." A murmur answered her and then a scratchy sound; Maria was probably nodding. Riza hung up and looked for a two thousand cenz note. There was a pharmacy just down the road and a bakery across the street.

She had thought there were a lot of things to buy in Amestris, but on her way to the two shops, she passed vendors selling the strangest things which seemed to have no practical application. Glasses lined with plastic which would neither correct vision any shade from the sun, scarves even though it was the middle of summer, ice cream vendors lined the streets. Looking around, Riza wondered about the purpose of the charms and the ornate shells, and how the locals could ever save any money with so much temptation around. At last, she arrived at the pharmacy only to find that it was full of not only medications but that the useless trinkets from the street had worked their way in and most of the shop was full of foam toys and candies on top of the usual medicine and cosmetics.

By the time she got to the bakery, she almost expected pink and green bread, but inside was a sanctuary from all the consumerism on the outside. She bought half a dozen muffins and a loaf of blueberry bread. When she got her change back was her surprise, however. She had only spent seven hundred fifty cenz for all of her purchases. Back home, she would be cleaned out, but here things were cheaper. Their economy is based on capitalism rather than militarism, she reminded herself. As soon as we get our country back to normal, we'll have these luxuries too.

The sun was already bearing down on Riza as she walked back to the cluster of condominiums to find her friends. It was easy to find, there was only one house with towels shoved in the windows to keep any light from coming in. She quietly opened the door and slipped through. "Maria?" she called quietly. A murmur answered her and as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, Riza saw that her friend was hunched over on her bed, sill in her pajamas, trying to ignore what must be the worst hangover she had had in a long time. Riza sighed and filled a glass with water from the pitcher at the washstand and handed her friend two of the pills. A second later, Rebecca took the bottle and dry swallowed some number of them; Riza didn't see n didn't think Rebecca did either.

"What'd you bring?" she asked eagerly, taking h paper bag from Riza and rifling through it loudly, making Maria cringe. Riza wondered why Maria would always choose to room with someone like Rebecca, who seemed to be the polar opposite of her. She unwrapped the cube of seltzer and dropped it into the remaining water and drank it down. Already, she looked a little better.

"I stopped by a bakery; there should be pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and blueberry quick bread in there," replied Riza, unpacking the food onto the table next to Maria's bed. Rebecca brought two chairs in from the living room and placed them near the bed for Riza and herself, and the three settled down.

"So, Riza," began Rebecca, mouth full and ready to pry into Riza's life, "What are you doing rooming with the Major General?" It was inevitable that their choosing to room together would draw attention.

Riza took a sip of water. "I'm his bodyguard, so it makes sense that I be close at hand this far from Central Command. Besides, we're friends." Now Maria too was looking at her in a strange way. She blushed and hurriedly blurted, "It's nothing like that!"

Rebecca and Maria gave each other a look and said back to Riza, "Sure you are." The Rebecca continued, "You like him, don't you?"

Riza was growing flustered with embarrassment. "We're friends, so by default I enjoy the time I spend with him, just like I enjoy my time here with you. Can we talk about Maria instead?"

Rebecca had no problem with that, "How's your relationship with Denny?"

It was Maria's turn to blush and she quickly said, "I thought we were talking about Riza and General Mustang."

As quickly as the conversation had left the topic it was back. "Sorry, Riza, it's two to one; we're talking about you and Mustang."

Riza grew a little indignant as he took another bite of her muffin. "There's really nothing to tell. We've known each other forever and so it's only natural that we would be friends-"

"Or best friends," commented Rebecca.

"Or dating," chimed Maria.

"Or to be married!"

"Enough of that," snapped Riza. "Maybe I do like him and maybe I do want those things, but maybe I don't want to risk losing our friendship for those things. They're just titles and words, so it doesn't matter, do it?" She continued to eat her muffin as the two looked first at her then at each other in awe. By the looks on their faces, they hadn't expected her to have said that.

It was Maria who first spoke, "So you really do like him. We were just teasing; we thought you were just best friends."

Rebecca gave a huff and said, "Speak for yourself, I knew all along that they were sweet on each other-" She was cut off as a pillow hit her over the head. "Hey, what was that for!" She glared at Maria, but Maria just shrugged. Returning her attention to Riza, Rebecca continued, "But really, that's great; you should totally tell him how you feel! Besides, he fancies you."

Riza blushed and said, "Well, if the time comes up I will, but it's hard to say. She glanced at her watch and was surprised to find that it was nearly eleven already. "Listen, I've got to go-"

"On a date?" asked Maria.

"...I suppose..." said Riza, recalling how Roy had ask the night before if their dinner together was a date or not. Maria and Rebecca squealed. "At any rate, I have to get going if I'm to be on time." She stood up and threw out her trash on the way out. Heading back to her rooms, she saw that Roy had returned and was sitting in the living room reading from the same book as he had been reading from on the train.

He looked up and said, "I almost thought you weren't coming."

"I was out with Lieutenants Ross and Catalina, Roy." She excused herself and went to change into her new swim dress. He said he thought I wasn't coming. Does he think I might desert him? She started putting on the knee length dress and checked the back to make sure the tattoo was completely covered. The front fell in a scooping neckline and maintained a high back; the capped sleeves were loose and fluttered gracefully over her shoulders, matching the short skirt, which covered her thighs. The light purple complemented her light blonde hair and amber eyes nicely. She grabbed a towel from her bathroom and walked back out into the living room.

Riza walked out of her aparment into the common area wearing her new bathing suit. It was really perfect for her, accenting the right lines and covering her tattoo while revealing a little more of her chest than she normally would. The skirt, at least, let her keep her dignity while wearing it. While she waited for Roy to emerge from his apartments, she put her light blonde hair into a french braid so that it wouldn't tangle while she swam. It was a little warmer than she would have liked inside, as the thatched condos insulated the glaring heat of the midday sun so well. It was breezy at least outside.

Roy emerged from his rooms wearing black swimming shorts and another loose linen shirt, this one light blue. "Ready?" he asked her. She nodded and they headed out together. "You look very nice, is the dress new?" She would have laughed, but he hadn't been teasing.

"Well, thank you. It is, I haven't had the need for about ten years, since before I had the-" she stopped herself. She was about to say 'since before I had the tattoo', but she finished, "I needed new." He clasped his hand around hers and they walked in silence for a few minutes, Riza not knowing what to say and Roy not seeing need for words. The sand beneath their bare feet felt rough, yet gave way easily, making for difficulut walking.

They swung their arms together in step as they aproached the ocean. The sand hardened as they neared the high tide line and stopped. They both put down their towels and Roy took off his shirt so as to know where to come back to. With the sun baring down, Riza led the way into the water. Her dress swished around her legs as the waves rushed back and forth.

Roy was just behind her and as they walked in waist deep, the waves grew more violent and one pushed Riza over. She had forgotten to turn sideways in the waves when they broke so the would wash around her. She was pushed back directly into Roy, who cought her. The shock of the freezing water made them both shiver for a second before recovering. They continued to wade out until they were chest deep. Well, Roy was chest deep, Riza was nearly up to her shoulders.

Looking around, Roy noticed something strange. "Riza, do you have any idea as to why nobody else is around? You'd think there'd be more people about."

"While we were out at dinner and busy sleeping, it seems the rest of Central's military, the officers at least, went out drinking, and if Rebecca and Maria are any indicator, everyone's bound to have a hangover."

Roy smirked. "Then it looks like we have the whole beach to ourselves for a few hours." They floated on the waves for a few more minutes. The sun shone so brightly and the waves felt so distinct; wet and cold and salty and just o-so-pleasant. Roy was the one to speak first. "Riza?"

"Yes, Roy?" Even though she used his name, she maintained a distinct militaristic status in her address.

"Do you know how to body surf?" When Riza shook her head, he continued, "It's fun, you know, and a lot easier than using a board. I could show you how."

Riza swam over to him and righted herself in time to tred up a particularly high wave. "Alright, how is body surfing done?"

Roy grinned at the chance to teach her something. "The idea is to ride a wave to shore by holding your body perfectly strait, as if you were diving towards the shore," he explained. "We'll have to go in a little more, to where the breakers are, but for now let's stay out here to practice."

Riza smiled. "So I just have to hold myself strait and face shore?" She sounded sceptically teasng, expecting something to make this feat harder thand Roy was making it sound. Though her words were challanging, she complied and floated face down in the water so that she was a perfect line on the surface.

As she stood, Roy went on to explaining the next step. "That's the right idea. In order to get the proper momentum, you will have to swim away from the wave towards the shore so that it can catch you and pull you in."

Riza gave him a funny look and he stopped. "Will it hurt?"

"Will what hurt? The wave catching you; no, it's usually abrupt but painless."

"No, I meant the end, where all the shells are washed around in the knee-deep waves which always cut the ankles. Wouldn't they get washed up in the face?" She looked quizical and worried.

Roy's expression changed from concerned confusion to relief. "You won't be pulled that far, just to where the watr is waist hight; you'll be fine." Moving to a spot a little closer to where they had begun, he asked, "So, do you want to try now?"

She was a little nervous, but Riza nodded and stood next to him. "You're right, it sounds fun."

"Right then...that wave. You see?" he pointed across the water at a wave, higher than the others. "When it gets close, start swimming as fast as you can to shore and when it hits you, stiffen." Riza nodded understanding and turned to watch the wave as it neared. It swelled and threatened to wash over her. A few feet to her left, Roy shouted, "Now!" Riza started swimming later than Roy had and was only pushed upwards by the wave. She started to turn upright, but was washed over by another wave.

She was not prepared for what happened next. She had been ready to take a breath and could not expell water from her open mouth and nose. She didn't straighten in time and she was flipped over twice and dragged along the bottom for seconds before finally being released by the water's grip to crawl dripping and half drowned onto dryer shore. As she coughed and spluttered, Roy walked out of the water over to her.

"Sorry about that, are you all right?" he checked as she cought her breath and tried to expell as much sea water as possible from her nose and lungs.

Eventually, she got back her voice. "Yes, I'm fine. I just need to rest for a few minutes." She flopped down on the firm sand and lay still, breathing.

Roy sat down next to her to wait with her. "You know, that wasn't so bad for a first try. When my older brother taught me how, I swear I had a jellyfish stuck to my face when I was done." This made Riza laugh, so he continued. "You should have seen me; eight years old and my face was puffed up like I had just gotten a lobotomy. I had to pour vinigar on it every two hours or it would stay puffy for days."

Riza sat up and faced him, fully attent on his story. "Of course I didnt' really care too much, so I was swimming later that afternoon and nearly drowned because my eye was swollen shut; the life guard had to drag me out of the ocean and wouldn't let me get back in for the rest of the day. You're close with my brother, so I don't need to tell you how long it took to live that one down." Riza smiled at this; his brother was always teasing her about anything and everything. Since she was an only child, Roy's brother and sisters had become like family to her in a way, and of course in a large family, that meant lots of teasing.

Watching the ocean which had almost swallowed her, still very beautiful and very dangerous, she absent-mindedly said, "You always know what to say. I love you."

She didn't realize she had said it until she heard a startled "Hmm?" out of Roy. "Did you just say you love me?"

Caught off her gaurd, Riza glanced sideways at him. After a second's pause, she replied, "I suppose I did." She flushed and tried to turn away to hide it again, but Roy was too quick. As her eyes closed, he caught her mouth with his in a kiss. It was brief, soft, and chaste, but with it were all the unspoken 'I love you's' and uncertainties which came along with being in love with your childhood best friend.

Roy broke the kiss and said, "I love you too, Riza, and you're beautiful when you blush like that," before kissing her again. Riza felt the flush stronger than ever. This time, Riza could think to respond and kissed him back. Their lips clasped each other and lingered before they broke apart. Roy opened his eyes and smiled at her. "Now, do you want to try sufring again?"

Having recovered from the wave by being knocked equally off ballance by the kiss, Riza nodded, took Roy's offered hand up, and they went back into the water together.

* * *

Okay, Chapter two. I feel like I had names for these chapters, but I can't remember for the life of me what any of them were. I feel like I named this one Body Surfing. I was original.


	3. Chapter 3

Riza was worn ragged by the time a rain storm force them from the ocean. After noon, many of the other officers had joined them in the waves and they were obliged to stop surfing so that they wouldn't hurt anybody, but Riza was getting good towards the end. Roy had gone off to a bar with Havoc, Breda, Falman, Furey, and some others, and Riza agreed to meet with Sheska, Rebecca, and Maria for spa treatments at three.

Stumbling into the empty condo, Riza took off her wet, sandy suit and hung it up over the wash stand and rinsed off her sandy feet. Her hair was let down, brushed, and pinned up so that she could ward off tangles in the brisk wind. As she settled down in an armchair, she tried to read, but found she couldn't. She couldn't stop thinking of Roy. What had that kiss meant? It felt like it meant an awful lot. They had been friends since they were little; you don't just randomly kiss your best friend.

Relax, Riza, it was just a kiss, it's not like you've never been kissed before. She tried to talk herself into calming down; she hadn't been able to think things over yet and her mind had wound up like a spring, ready to snap if it wasn't unwound. If you don't, Sheska won't notice you're crazy-minded, but if even Maria doesn't, and I can never count on that, Rebecca defiantly will. She tried mediation and eventually she got her nerves under control.

He kissed me, he kissed me, he kissed me! She just couldn't stop herself thinking. Though she was trying to calm herself, she felt a big smile on her face which wouldn't go away. I haven't smiled like this in a good long time. Then she broke loose and laughed, loud and clear, more like a teenager in love than a dignified military officer, but she didn't care; for the first time in a while, she just didn't care.

Time flew by and she was still bogged down in her haze as two hours later she wandered into the spa room, soaked from the rain, having done nothing productive since they had all departed from the beach earlier that afternoon.

As she had predicted, Rebecca immediately noticed that something was up. "Spill; we know something happened between you and Mustang." Riza grinned and let her head flop a little to the side. "Ha! I knew it! Didn't I say so, Maria?"

This caught Riza's attention. She hadn't thought it had been noticeable before this afternoon, and started playing the day over in her mind. "When...?"

Rebecca laughed, but it was Maria who answered. "We took bets on how long it would take or you two to hook up. I bet before we saw you again but after noon."

"And I bet it would be in the morning. I think Havoc had you pegged for some time this evening," Rebecca chimed in. "So, which was it?"

Riza colored and answered, "I don't know, we were swimming and didn't have our watches. If I had to guess, I'd say morning, but I really can't be sure. But more importantly; you took bets?"

"Relax, you get a 10% cut of the winnings."

"Like I was saying; you took bets?" They all laughed at her sudden change of heart.

Just then, Sheska came up to them panting as if she had just run to be on time. "Sorry I'm late. Riza, you look like you've gotten too much sun; you're all flushed."

Rebecca grinned. "We're all met?" Tuning around, she called out; "Four massage treatments!" to whomever may have been taking note. The four were shown into the changing room where they left their shoes and clothing on heated racks to cool while they were pampered. Each holding a towel, they were guided over to padded mats where they lay down and each was paired with a masseuse.

The hot stones and gentle hands on Riza's back and shoulders helped to ease the excited tension which had been building since Roy had kissed her. She couldn't stop thinking about him, and-

"Riza!" She jumped in surprise and shook some stones loose from her back.

The masseuse was startled and hastily replaced the stones, and Riza apologized. Turning to her friends, she replied, "What?"

"We told you earlier to spill, and you didn't. Now tell us everything," demanded Rebecca.

Sheska looked so confused. "What's happened? Has something happened to Riza?" The other two laughed.

Maria quickly explained, "Riza and Mustang hooked up early this afternoon-"

"Morning," interrupted Rebecca.

"As I was saying! They made out on the beach and now we want her to tell us everything because friends kiss and tell." Rebecca looked pleased; she had trained the reserved lieutenant well.

Riza turned her head away, obviously embarrassed, so that she faced the foggy window with rain dipping down the exterior and condensation dripping down the interior. For a while she looked like she wasn't going to say anything, but finally she spoke. "I don't think either of us would make a move unless we really meant it; we've known each other too long. I don't think we could be closer, even as is, so it's not too much of a change in our relationship. At the same time, it's nice to know he feels this way. We were just messing around in the waves (someone snickered, she didn't turn her head to find out who) and I was flipped around too much and some water got up my nose and Roy told me a story about when he was really little, before I knew him, I think, and then it just happened. (Maria cooed at this and Rebecca hushed her and Riza giggled.) I've done more with near strangers, but this meant more to me because I know we mean more than that to each other."

It was quiet for a moment and they just heard the pounding of the rain on the ceiling. "That's adorable! Can I third wheel?" asked Maria. They all laughed at this; they really were acting like secondary school girl when one got a crush; so immature, but when they were on vacation, there wasn't anything to worry about, least of all reputation. They sank into idle chat as they recieved their massages, teasing Sheska mercilessly and dwelling on how there was such good shopping in town which even Central City couldn't hold a light. They all made plans to buy souveniers together on the last day, and parted laughing as their hour ended.

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I'm not entirely sure this is where the chapter break was supposed to go...I think it makes sense regardless and it's not like you can't just turn the page. Enjoy and review.


	4. Chapter 4

It had stopped raining, and though the sky was still overcast, it was already warming again. A mist of steam covered the sand and boardwalk, and was even worse over the black asphalt roads. It had been surprisingly quiet for the past couple days, except, of course, for the other officers. On the other hand, it had been a Wednesday they arrived, and this was Thursday; not the most popular beach days.

Up the road a good way, a few cars, no...vans, were driving towards Riza and Sheska, who was returning with Riza for the evening. A minute later, the first of the vans stopped and the driver rolled down the window. Havoc leaned out the window and called, "Get in, ladies! We've got barbeque and fireworks!" The door slid open and the two girls got in. The van smelled of gunpowder and charcoal. There was a large cooler which radiated cold air and dripped which presumably had meat in it.

"I thought you were going to a bar. Why this?" asked Riza. Usually when Havoc went to bars, it was to get drunk and score. This wasn't new, per say, but it wasn't common, either.

Havoc started the car. His driving was so bad it made Sheska cower in fear and even Riza cringed a little. He turned around and said, "Well, we ran into some people who said they were a band, so we stole them and decided it would be better to have a beach side barbeque, so we rented these vans."

"Turn around!" yelled Riza and Sheska together. Havoc turned around just fast enough to not run into a dune.

Laughing, he called back, "Thanks, that was a close one!" Five more nerve-pinching minutes later, Sheska stumbled out of the van, vomited by the side of the road and stumbled off to cower somewhere. Riza was not in much better shape. God, Havoc must have nerves of steel. Then she remembered; he's always smoking, that probably helps him.

Riza caught her breath and looked around; the other vans had caught up and circled around. They were more or less directly on the beach, and grills and fire pits were availiable. There were no buildings in sight. At least Havoc planned this far ahead so as to not destroy anything.

A friendly hand grasped her shoulder and she straitened to face Roy. Her face brightened when she saw him and he kissed her sweetly. "It looks like all the time at the spa was just undone. I swear, as a governmentally certified driver, he has no excuse."

"Well, I'm fine, but really, I think Sheska was so scared she almost fainted."

"Hey, General!" came a shout from the main fire pit. Some soldiers Riza didn't know well had piled firewood haphazardly in a huge pile in the ring. "Give us a light?" The Flame General turned around and snapped at the logs. A bolt of flame ignited the oxygen and the logs burst into flame. Ever since the gate had opened, he could use alchemy without a glove and the philosopher's stone had cured his eyesight, and then Havoc's legs.

"For all he uses a lighter constantly, you'd think Jean could light a simple bonfire," said Riza sarcastically. Roy laughed at the irony as Rebecca and Maria caught up to them, mischief written all over their faces.

"Oh my god! Did the two of you see that!" shouted Rebecca at them. Riza blushed.

"You're right, I never thought that I'd see something that awesome!" shrieked Maria. What was this about? We were only kissing!

"No, seriously, you two might have missed it! Turn around!" Riza realized that they weren't talking about watching them kiss.

She turned around and saw what Maria had meant; Riza hadn't ever thought that she would ever see dolphins either. "Oh!" she exclaimed, suddenly as enthusiastic as her friends.

They watched for a moment, as the hazy sun shone over the dolphins, illuminating their activity. Roy pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "You know, a dolphin sighting is said to harbinger a good relationship." She turned her face up and kissed him, smiling slightly. Now Maria really did look at her amazedly.

The strange band started to play; they weren't really a proper band so much as they were a group of rag-tags in their early twenties. They played a strange music which Riza was more or less unfamiliar with. It seemed to be a cross between the marches, which had been popular when she was only little and the jazz that was currently popular in Amestris. Nobody among them knew the proper steps, but they tied some of their own steps and made up others to match the rhythm of the "Charleston" better.

The fast-paced dancing left them tired and hungry by the time the coals were hot enough to cook. The musicians took a break as well, as they were exhausted from playing for nearly an hour strait. Drinks were passed around, and a pig, which was slowly being pealed apart and roasted, chopped, and drenched in an all but too spicy sauce which the locals had suggested. Some had been building the fire higher, feeding it out of the back of a van, and the flames were already well over ten feet tall, and though it added to the atmosphere made it feel like a true beach party, the heat made the already humid, scorching day seem almost unbearable.

The band seemed to have the same idea, and as they finished eating, they moved a ways away from the fire so as to keep from being cooked while they played. The next songs were even more peculiar, but easier to dance to. Riza and Roy were able to match many ballroom steps to the rhythmic tempo, and again were able to add some new steps as well.

"This music's the strangest thing I've ever heard," commented Roy.

"But it's nice, if you don't try to make it something it's not, I suppose." After a while, the music changed again and became impossible to keep up with. Only the musicians themselves, if anyone, seemed to have any idea what was going on.

Most people stepped back to just listen, and the only ones who even looked like they had a clue were Havoc and Rebecca, who were doing some fast paced dance thing, which looked strange and animalistic, yet free. Riza figured they had simply had too much alcohol. Roy returned with more drinks for the both of them, and they sat back while the band played, letting the strange sounds and feelings wash over them.

It was Riza who spoke first. "It's so seldom we all get to be so free. I wish...well, no I don't...then these days wouldn't be special."

Roy looked back at the others, all dancing and sweating, drinking and laughing merrily. "It's not every day, but it will be more often soon." He leaned over and kissed her, not gently like before, but passionately. She was surprised, but quick to react, and pressed back against his lips. He set his drink down and reached around behind her to pull her closer. They broke apart after a moment, and watched each other. Riza tilted again, and they made contact. Roy parted her lips and Riza reached her hand up and ran her fingers through his hair. His tongue pressed past and rubbed over her mouth, making her loose her train of knit up together, they broke the kiss again and just gazed at each other, letting the music, the laughter, and the alcohol course over and through them.

Suddenly, there was a call for fireworks, and everyone started down the beach, away from the now simply obnoxiously large fire. It had grown so dark it was hard to see everything they were doing, but eventually, the rockets were set up and lit. Overhead, as the lights blazed, Roy and Riza watched. They lay down so as to not have to crane their necks to watch. It only took five minutes before they were necking again, growing oblivious to all else around them.

Little did they realize, or anybody else for that matter, as everyone was intoxicated by the music, the strange food and drink, the atmosphere, the sea, and the fireworks, that the very life and soul of the party, Jean Havoc was nowhere to be found. Nobody had seen him for a while, and where had Rebecca gone off to?

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I can't believe this is how I ended a chapter. Enjoy and Review!


	5. Chapter 5

Riza woke up in the back of a van in the middle of the beach. Her head swam from the alcohol she had ingested the night before and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to massage function back into her brain. She sat up, trying to remember what had happened the night before. She had been watching the fireworks, she and Roy had been making out, had anything else happened? She didn't think so; she distinctly remembered getting chilled from the costal breeze and Roy had given her his jacket and she had no memories from there. He must have moved me to the van, she realized.

She got out of the van and looked around. The sun was barely up, but most of the soldiers had vacated the beach already. The band was nowhere in sight, and ash lay strewn over much of the beach where the bon fire had burned to the ground. She could smell the smoke as the remaining logs still smoldered in the pit. Riza closed the door and stared to walk back to the hotels. It could only be two miles away at most.

The sun rose as she walked along the beach, warming her, reminding her of Roy's effect on her, warming her from the core and at any contact. She smiled, and over the dunes, she saw her condo. Leaving the path, she walked over the sand, letting her feet fall in up to her ankles as she walked clumsily over the shifting grains. It tickled in a way, and she felt so amazingly happy. She and Roy could spend the rest of the day together in town or on the beach together. There had been an offered hang gliding class she was interested in; they could try that together.

As she got closer to the condo, she says a familiar figure leaving. Guiltily. Rebecca saw her and tried to walk past her, but Riza stopped her. "Good morning, Becca! Quite a party, wasn't it?" She thought it strange that Rebecca was in her condo, but she would see what it why before accusing.

Rebecca turned sharply, like she had just noticed Riza for the first time. "Oh, Riza! I didn't see you there! Well, yes, it was fantastic! Didn't you like it?"

Why were you avoiding me after I saw you in my condo? Riza remembered back, it had been so...energetic. Different from Amestrian music, food, drink, but fun. Of course, the fireworks were amazing too."

Rebecca looked confused, and then her face snapped back into realization. "I forgot there would be fireworks! Now I feel stupid for not staying longer!" Rebecca looked down trodden, and Riza wondered how she could have forgotten about the fireworks.

"They were really amazing, especially when you consider it's the same basic principal as shooting a gun. So, where did you head off to in such a hurry?" You went to hook up, didn't you?

Rebecca somehow looked both smirky and sheepish at the same time. Now that she thought of it, Rebecca was very unkempt, sand sticking to her in odd places, hair completely mussed. Composing herself, she replied, "Well, at any rate, he's very good in bed." With that she slunk off, no doubt to go sleep somewhere. Riza wondered briefly if she should follow to make sure she didn't just go to sleep on the sand or in the wrong condo. She decided against it; Rebecca had been in weirder situations and had come out just fine.

Riza turned and went inside; the warm air of the condo was a little uncomfortable, but in a cozy way. Riza went over to the wash stand to clean up. As she poured water on her face, she smelled something she had not noticed before; there was the distinct smell of sweat in the condo, and something acidic. If she didn't know better, she...'he's very good in bed.' Had Rebecca really-? In her bed? With some random person who she-? No wonder she had tried to sneak past her while exiting the condo.

Then it hit her; she hadn't said who the other soldier was, and seemed guilty about the hook up. Could it have been with-no! It couldn't have been! But now that she thought of it, Roy had left her in the night and had left her in a car instead of waking her and bringing her home. "Roy?" she called. There was no answer. So he vacated as well. Riza was skeptical. All the pieces fit together. She had noticed almost everyone at the party before she fell asleep, and Roy had been missing when she woke up in a car. Rebecca had acted guilty after exiting her condo and had not said who she was with.

She brushed and pinned her hair then went in search of a certain altogether too snide General.

She found him fifteen minutes later she found him playing table tennis with Major Armstrong, and losing; agility was an Armstrong trait, after all. She approached him, steeling herself. "General Mustang, I'd like a word with you, sir." He looked up, and lost the point.

He caught the ball as it fell off the table and sighed, "Riza, certainly. Can it wait just five minutes? We're almost done with this game."

"It's important, sir, and you need to hear this." Riza stood firmly, making the older officer grit his teeth.

"Alright, Riza. If you'll excuse me, Major." He followed Riza into an adjoining room and asked in a low voice. "What's going on? Why couldn't it wait?"

"I could ask you the same thing, sir." she retorted. "I just don't understand. What happened, sir?"

Roy looked so confused, she almost bought it. Almost. He shook his head and looked her in the eye. "Riza, what are you talking about?"

Riza felt her steel breaking down a little, but pushed on. "I saw Lt. Catalina earlier today, sir. Ring a bell?"

If anything, Roy looked even more confused. "You're friends with Rebecca, you see her all the time, why should that make a-" He was interrupted by her slap to his face. He looked at her stunned.

Glaring at him, nearly in tears, Riza hissed, "Just admit it, already; I already know." Then her barrier did break. For the first time in a long time, she felt the burring at the backs of her eyes. Soldiers don't cry, Riza, she told herself sternly. "Just say it!"

Roy reached out his arm to her, trying to either comfort her or calm her, but she would have none of it. She pushed away his hand forcefully and turned. "Honestly, I'm through. And when we get back to Central, I'm asking for a transfer. This is ridiculous."

She turned and left. She loved him, and she had though he had loved her. How could he do this to her? How could Rebecca do this to her? Why her? Why did Roy have cheat on her with her best friend? They had known each other forever. Their families were like one; she had grown up with them. Was that why he had gone behind her back? Because he was afraid it would be like lying with his sister? It didn't feel like that when they kissed. She began to cry, the hot sun blurring her sight. She loved him still; she wouldn't cry if she didn't love him.

Riza felt the burning sand on the bottoms of her feet. Shells cut her, and the air felt far too hot and hazy. She walked not to the condo; that was where he might look for her. She couldn't face Roy just then. She instead walked straight into the ocean. She wasn't wearing her suit; her skirt would be heavy once it was wet. Riza didn't care. For once, she didn't care.

She had joined the military to keep Roy Mustang safe; from Ishval, from assassins, from himself, and she had assumed they loved each other. She must have been mistaken. Had she really not meant more to him than just a body guard? They had known each other forever; they had grown up together. He had sex with her best friend and then lied to her about it. They traded stories all the time. He had sex with her best friend and then lied to her about it. He asked her specifically to work with him. He dumped all the work onto her. She watched his back. He had sex with her best friend and then lied to her about it.

She was chest deep in the cold water. There was a shout behind her; she didn't care. She kept walking. At some point, she stopped walking and started swimming. It was more difficult than swimming with a suit and the drag would wear her out quickly. She needed to get away, far away. The shout came again, from farther away. STAY AWAY FROM ME! She didn't want anyone to see her like this, and she couldn't face anyone. She didn't look back at the shore, but she could no longer see birds. At some point she would have to turn back. The shout did not come again. The cold water turned her more or less numb as she swam further out. At some point she stopped thinking and her strength failed a little; she didn't swim often, and her clothing was weighing her down.

Farther and farther out her swam. She felt sleepy. How strange; she had only woken up two hours ago. Why would she want to fall asleep? A little longer, and sleep felt undeniably good, and she allowed herself to relax.

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Um...wow...I don't think she's the suicidal type...why did I write this in? Things you don't get about yourself a year later. Read and Enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

Maria Ross ran into the rec room in the main building, looking for General Mustang. He was still just relaxing, playing with the Major. She stopped and saluted him, "Sir, I just saw Lieutenant Hawkeye. She seemed to be in some sort of trance, and I think she's in trouble. She just walked into the ocean with all her clothes on and started swimming far too far out. I tried to call to her twice, but she wouldn't answer me. She might kill herself."

Roy jolted. Riza was strong. She had just proven to him how strong she was; that was all the show was, wasn't it? She had something to prove and she took it out on him. Why would she turn right around and resort to something like this? It wasn't in her nature nor fit the morning. It was calm out, and she was...suicidal?

He dropped the game and ran out to the ocean. Riza wasn't in sight, but that didn't mean she had gotten far; she would be hard to spot in an ocean, as she was small in comparison. He ran over to the boating rentals and flashed his identification at the owner. "General Mustang, I need a boat." With that, he stepped into a prepared boat, and proceeded to push out the small sailing boat. It pushed out quickly in the seaside wind, but rocked terribly.

Looking around, there was still no sign of Riza. According to Maria, she was just swimming from shore, so surely he should look farther out first? He maneuvered the boat with some difficulty, and it didn't move as fast as he would have like. "Hold on, Riza. I'll come get you." He looked for what felt like far too long. She was in for five minutes before he had gone after her, so she had been swimming for fifteen minutes now. How long could she last? She wasn't the best swimmer.

Skirting up and down the coast in front of the beach, he finally found her, long after he had given up hope of her survival. She didn't see him; she was talking to herself and could hardly keep afloat. He moved right up next to her and as she stopped swimming and allowed herself to sink, he grabbed her and pulled her into the small boat. She was unconscious. Letting go of the controls of the boat, he checked her breathing and pulse. They were both shallow and quick.

Looking back at how far she'd come, he judged it to be about a mile and a half. Farther than she had ever swam before, he was sure. She didn't stir on the way back, and once he returned the boat, he carried her into the building and dialed for a hospital. She looked to be in bad shape. It was too bad they couldn't get her to an Amestrian hospital, but Brittania was said to have some of the best medical professionals as well.

He rode with her in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and filled out the documentations necessary. She remained unconscious while they pumped out her lungs and put her on a heart monitor and oxygen tank. He was allowed to sit with her while she healed.

It seemed like months, but as the day progressed, her heart stabilized and she was taken off the oxygen and her lung capacity had returned to normal with minimal scaring. Still she did not wake up. Finally, at twilight, as Roy was told to leave due to the end of visiting hours, she stirred, just a finger, then a lip. She didn't open her eyes, but she did whisper. "Roy... Roy betrayed me with Rebecca."

Then it all made sense; the yelling, the implication, the slap, the allusion to Rebecca, the drastic measures. Did he really mean that much to her? Did she mean that much to him?

Then he stopped dead; he had lent his room to Havoc so that he wouldn't keep Breda awake with Rebecca. Roy had stayed out late to make sure no wild fires were started, so he didn't know what had gone on exactly, but it sounded like Riza had met Rebecca leaving his room when she was returning. It was so simple a mistake; how had it turned into this?

Riza felt somewhere deep in her subconscious that she was safe. She didn't know how she knew, but somehow, there was an overwhelming feeling that she had come home. Home. Where was that, exactly? Was she in her childhood house back on the estate outside of the small bustling town? She breathed in, trying to smell the old dusty furniture and the blankets she had used since she was born. She didn't smell them, but she did smell something familiar. The apprentice. Her father's apprentice was in her room. Why was he there? For some reason she wasn't mad. He had no reason or right to be there, but it wasn't a problem.

She tried to move, and found she couldn't. That was strange, but not alarming. A beeping sounded somewhere. An alarm clock? No, it wasn't that; her father's house didn't have electricity. It was old and was never electrified. So she wasn't in her father's house after all. She struggled to open her eyes. They were so heavy that she had to struggle, breathing in a little deeper; there it was again, that smell. A crack of light filtered through her eyes and she slowly focused.

A pressure in her hand made her notice she was in another's company. After a moment, she recognized General Mustang. Him! What was he doing in her room while she slept? No, the light was too bright for her to be in her condo. So where was she? Then she recognized why there was no smell before; she was in a hospital.

Mustang said something and a nurse came over and fiddled with a control next to her, checked her pulse, and left. Slowly, she noticed her surroundings. She was in a hospital, hooked up to a series of monitors, and Roy Mustang was sitting next to her.

"What happened?" she asked him, trying to remember anything that had happened in the past two days which might have resulted in her winding up in a hospital. He looked so serious and so worried. But why? Was she badly hurt? How long had she been unconscious? Were they in Amestris?

He let go of her hand and shifted to face her better. She tried to sat up, but just couldn't. He cleared his throat. "Riza, you went swimming and nearly drowned." It all flooded back to her; the confusion, the anger, the despair, and the swim. And the hand which pulled her out of the ocean. "You had swum out so far that I almost didn't find you in time to rescue you. You're not too strong a swimmer, and I suppose you didn't realize that. You were fully clothed, and with so much drag, you were about to drown."

Riza smiled; he still though her motives pure and innocent. At least he cared one way or the other that she was alive. But that didn't mean she meant anything to him. "I knew I would die." He looked at her as seriously as anything, but before he could ask why, she continued, "I didn't think I would, but I couldn't deny that fact. I didn't want to die, but it seemed to be the most calming option at the moment. I'm sorry to have taken your time away from you... And thank you."

His face remained hard, but his eyes melted. "At least you're safe now. But why did you do it?" His gaze did not falter, and Riza felt herself obligated to give some sort of response.

He might not love her as she thought he did, but he did save her life. She owed him that much at least as a professional courtesy. "Sir, I thought we were steady, so when I returned to our condo, I was surprised to see Rebecca leaving your rooms. If that's who you share your bed with, that's your business, and I won't be bothered by it one way or the other. At any rate, I lost my head, and went for a swim. I simply swam out too far. I'll be more careful in the future."

So that was why. She had been heartbroken. Roy couldn't decide what to feel. She hadn't tried to kill herself, and she loved him enough to want to live with only with him. "Riza, I lent my room to Havoc for the night so that he wouldn't disturb his roommate." Riza realized her mistake and her face lit up red. It made sense; Havoc had gone missing at the same time Rebecca had, even if she hand's seen them leaving together, Rebecca had never said who she had slept with, and Roy had really not understood why she was so mad, and then saved her regardless of her tantrum. As her thoughts clicked into place, he leaned down and kissed her on her very bright forehead. "I love you."

"So you weren't interested in another? You just didn't stay on the beach?" She needed confirmation.

"I really am interested only in you. And alchemy." She laughed softly. Even now, he could make her laugh. She had always loved that about him; his sense of humor. She stopped to cough and was reminded of her state as the heart monitor sped up. Roy shot her a smirk like there was a reason for it other than the laughter. He may have been right.

They stayed right there and spoke of lighter topics for the next couple hours. Riza regained her strength and sat up to eat as her medications wore off. After a while, Roy left, and she noticed that he had left her the book she had been reading on the train. She was nearly done, and could finish it before sleeping. She turned to the last page she had read and a note fell out. She reached to get the white slip and saw that it was a note. 'Riza, there's a ball for the officers in two days. If you're out of the hospital, will you go with me? I'll see you tomorrow for the verdict.'

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I think I was trying to be all mystical or something, but to be honest I have no idea. Kind of like the rest of this story. Well, read and respond.


	7. Chapter 7

The Military Ball, hmm? It's the first really official date we've been on. I guess only a few people realize we're a couple. I think Havoc knows, and Maria and Rebecca...and Sheska, but nobody else has seen us together. Well, they've seen us together, but we haven't made it obvious. Well, we made it obvious, but they were busy doing other things, distracted by the fireworks, they didn't notice us. They won't notice us tomorrow night.

Will I be out of here in time? I almost drowned, but I'm fairly healthy. Roy can probably get me out no matter what in a minute if he flashes an i.d...Wait, will that work here? It works in Amestris, but does military rank mean what it means there here? This isn't a military state after all. This isn't helping matters. I'll get out just fine and there'll be no harm done. We'll dance proper dances and have a gay time of it. It'll be nice to make light in a formal setting for once, instead of being all business.

Do I have anything to wear? I have that more formal skirt, but a ball? Maybe I should go to town and buy a dress. Maybe something of the local style...no, I'd never wear it when we got home if I did that. A skirt really is more for meetings rather than a ball; I should spend the extra cenz and just buy something else. It's not like I don't have the money saved up and things are cheap enough here that it shouldn't be a problem.

Or maybe we're supposed to wear our dress uniforms? That'd be much easier and I wouldn't have to spend time in town when I could be resting more. God, I wish I could be out of here already. It's too frustrating! How much longer? 7:30? If I go to sleep, tomorrow will come sooner...but I'll wake up sooner. If I go to sleep now, the drug will help me sleep and I'll be rested to get out earlier tomorrow so I can find out more information and prepare for the dance.

This is ridiculous; I'm acting like a little girl asked to her first debutante ball. Well, this is the first time I've gone to a dance like this; my school didn't have a debutante ball. This isn't the time or place to be thinking of debutante balls!

Roy looks so snappy in his dress uniform; I wish the regular uniforms were as spiffy. Well, if they were, I'd be too distracted...

Shoes; I can buy shoes to go with my skirt to dress it up some more, and maybe a belt. That's a reasonable compromise; I'll spend something but not too much on a dress I can't wear much because we don't do formal events like this all the time in Amestris. It'd be perfect because it's cost about 5000 cenz and I'll be left with money.

Is there something I'm forgetting? I feel like there is. I need a list...damn, no nurse to ask for paper. I'll just make a mental list; confirm with Roy, figure out the dress code, buy shoes, iron my skirt, buy a belt, dance with him while pretending I'm not in a relationship with him...wait, was that high school or real life?

I've never PDA'd before! People will think I'm a whore! No, I've got a ten year relationship with most of these people; they'll think it natural that I'd end up in a relationship at some point or other...but with Roy? Did anyone see her relationship with Roy coming? She hadn't...it'd just happened...but Rebecca had sworn she had seen it coming...did the others? Who had Roy told? Did he assume she had told anyone? Should she have told people? Was this a big deal?

Damn it! Of course it was a big deal! Does he think it's as big a deal as I do? Have I read too much into this? He did save my life...anyone would have done so; Maria told him where I was, and she's just a friend.

I wonder if Roy's as good in bed as he's known to be. I've been with some people who were said to have reputations and they didn't seem to be anything spectacular. Well, they weren't bad, either. It DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE! I'm with Roy now. How much so, I wonder...

I'm overthinking this. We'll go to the ball together, have fun, go back, and see if anything follows. Wait, I had a list; what's step one? I need a nurse to give me paper right now, but where are they!

This is supposed to be relaxing; what's the time? Nine? How did it get to be so late; I need to sleep or I'll not be rested tomorrow?

This isn't restful. Maybe if I just watch the clock until the quarter hour and then shut my eyes. 9:04...9:07...9:12...this is boring. Good! It should be boring! If it's not boring it's not restful. 9:16...damn, missed it. I'll just wait until the half hour, and then close my eyes. Two nights ago we danced to that strange music. Rocking something...it had made me feel young. Riza, you are young, don't bash yourself, you're not even thirty yet. Neither is Roy. It really is remarkable that he's a General and only 29. 9:32; okay, I'll just ignore the exact times and close my eyes. It shouldn't be that hard to fall asleep.

I LOVE YOU, ROY! I'LL DEFINATLY GO WITH YOU TO THE BALL! VISIT ME TOMORROW AND WE'LL MAKE PLANS TOGETHER!

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This chapter is obviously filler. Skip it if you haven't already read it. Read and Respond.


	8. Chapter 8

Suddenly, Riza's eyes flew open. She had so much to do and only...she checked her watch... ten hours. She had slept in so late, as she was still recovering from her accident. A nurse came in to check her functions and declared her healed enough to leave, as long as she returned the next day for a checkup.

Riza was relieved to hear this, and left immediately, taking a street car up to the resort. She held a small paper bag with her, full of medications and notes, and walked first to her condo to drop it off and exchange her hospital flip flops for her sandals, and then went in search of the organization committee. She had to know the dress code, and perhaps retrieve her dress uniform.

"Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye...let me see," muttered the secretary. She searched through a stack of papers which made the General's desk look almost neat by comparison. Except the secretary seemed to know exactly where she had last seen the list. "Ah! Here it is. Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye's notice. You must have been away when we sent these out, because yours was returned." She handed the paper over to Riza, and recited, "You are to attend the Military Ball on 7th June in black tie civilian dress."

It went on, added personally to hers, either by her grandfather or another who knew her well enough that she wouldn't shoot them. 'And yes, Riza, we do expect black tie and show up on time. You can wear business casual any other time, but this is indeed a formal event. It would be nice if you put your hair up differently for a change too.' Riza scowled, but didn't take out her anger on the note. She thanked the secretary and went back out into the hot sun.

Passing across the sand, she was nearly to her room to retrieve her purse and return to town when she saw Maria leaving her own rooms. "Maria!" She turned around, and then walked over to her friend.

"Riza, you're out so fast! Are you feeling quite all right?"

Riza laughed. She did look a little pale but it was nothing really. "I'm fine. Listen, I was just on my way to buy a dress for tonight. Do you want to come with me?"

Maria looked a little doubtful. "Are you sure you're up to going to tonight? The shopping might wear you out." Then she seemed to remember what she was saying. "Wait. You don't have a formal outfit for tonight? I'm coming with you shopping right now so you don't mess up and buy business casual again. I went through your luggage, and I know what you brought with you." She went into Riza's rooms with her to get out of the sun while her friend washed the hospital grime off her face and arms, and changed back into a clean white tunic shirt given to her by the hospital and her formal skirt; her regular clothes were filthy from the ocean she almost drowned in two days ago.

She emerged from her rooms with her purse to see Roy talking with Maria. He stopped as soon as he saw her and embraced her, kissed the top of her head and said, "I'm sorry I didn't come see you this morning, but they told me last night after I left that you'd be out, so I figured I'd see you then...now. How do you feel?"

Riza wiggled out and breathed. "I'm fine, just a little hazy. I'll be coming tonight; with you if the offer's still open."

He smirked, "I knew you couldn't resist the offer."

She ignored that and replied, "At any rate, Maria and I were about to go shopping, so if you'll excuse us..." The two left and took the next streetcar into town.

It was small, it really only had a few shops; the difference between this one and the ones back home, Riza realized after walking around for a few minutes, was that these were full of goods, whereas at home, they were more inclined towards services. Back home, she would have run into offices, clinics, law practices, childcare, and just about everything else that didn't require much capitol. Here, there were so many shops they lined the streets and overflowed onto them.

After wandering almost aimlessly for a good twenty minutes, Maria pointed out a store called the Miss Boutique. Inside was a collection of face paints, scents, polishes, curling crème for the hair, and a shimmer for the hair. Maria pulled several objects off the shelves before Riza could complain about them and how useless they really were and how she'd never use them again so there was no point in buying them. Maria bought them, taking Riza's wallet to do so, and handed her a lighter wallet and she herself held onto the bag with various brushes crèmes, powders, and a spritz called sakura blend.

The next shop they came to was one which actually sold dresses. The card said black tie, so a practical, knee length skirt was out of the question. Maria steered her over to a rack of dresses with various amounts of shoulder showing. Riza was forced in and out of at least a half dozen dresses before she found one she liked enough to wear, at least for a few hours that evening. It was a light snowy grey, almost creamed colored, with a three quarter sleeve to cover her muscular soldier's arms, with ruffle which fell to her wrist, tied off at the elbow with a black ribbon. The back was high, but the front was a scoop neck, trimmed with the same ruffle and black trim. The skirt was so wide she could have held it up to make more than a semi-circle and it clung to her hips and flowed around her feet and ankles gracefully. It was upturned at one corner to her waist, showing off a white roughly underskirt, which matched the sleeves. The sash was tied off at the gather of the skirt by a black rose. The whole effect was quite lovely, Riza had to admit. Then she looked at the price tag and gasped.

The dress would cost her 25,000 cens. Before the war, it would have been too much, especially after her hospital dues, and all the face paints she had bought earlier. With nothing to buy back home, though, she had saved. It took her a moment to count out her money and decide to buy the dress. She could always wear it again...at her own wedding or something. The material was good wool, the seams were intact and strong, and with the ball only five hours away now, she needed to hurry. She and Maria stopped for a late lunch and then returned home.

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This looks like more filler. I'm pretty sure you could read any three random chapters of this story and get a pretty good idea of what its content is. Read and review.


	9. Chapter 9

Riza took a nap, nearly falling onto her bed, then blacking out. She was awakened gruffly three hours later by Rebecca, demanding to see the dress Maria had told her about. Riza rubbed her eyes then washed her face, went over to the closet and showed her friend the dress. "Whoa..." murmured Rebecca. She had obviously not expected something like that. Riza rolled her eyes; it was just a dress.

Rebecca left again, only having wanted to see the dress, she herself having to get ready too. Riza checked her watch and found she only had an hour to prepare. She took out the face paints and shared some foundation on, covering the sun tan lines from the sea sun, darkening her eye roughs and lashes, lining her eyes, redrawing her blush line which she had thoroughly covered by her foundation, and painted a pale pink shimmer over her lips. Then she added a small mole right above the end of her left eyebrow for decoration.

Then she tried do tackle her hair. The paste that was supposed to tame the hair only made it greasy, and she had to comb it out over her head and comb a wave into hit the hard way. The rest she tied up into a series of tiny braids, flowing with the lose strands down her back. The scent was spritzed and she looked over at the dress. It was so big, and why had she thought wool would be a good idea? She tugged it on and immediately remembered why it was the one she had chosen. It hugged and accentuated her perfectly. She put on her heeled shoes and formal white gloves and walked out to the living room to meet with Roy Mustang.

He himself was wearing a light brown, almost tan but not quite, suit with his hair combed (for once), smiling very dapperly at her. "You're so beautiful."

The night flew by as if they were skating through it. She met with Roy, who was dressed in his dress uniform, leave it to someone along the line to allow men to wear their dress uniforms, and he had tamed his hair for once to be very suave and dapper. He looked her up and down and they greeted each other with a kiss. Together they walked to the dance hall, which was festooned for the occasion with exotic flowers and sounded of home with an Amsterdam band playing classical ballroom dances.

Vaguely, Riza was aware of the other couples as she was swirled across the floor by the dapper General. The lights of the setting sun glanced off of the water and the air mingled sea salt with sweat as the dancers energetically danced in the summer heat, wearing all forms of dressy clothing. At one side of the room, Havoc and Rebecca were trying to make their dance they had created at the beach party three days ago, and though they seemed to be having fun, it didn't catch on with the other dancers.

It was a beautiful sight nonetheless. Roy held her close, and she could smell him, the musky smell of his cologne and the light perspiration and the gel in his hair and the starch in his uniform he almost never wore. He gripped her, and her front was plastered against his in a comforting movement. It was really quite intimate, communicating without words, dancing one step at a time as they read the other's inclinations in their movements. After some fox trots and tangos, the sun was almost set and it was nearing nine.

A soft waltz began to play. Riza spun around, skirt filling and swishing, air rushing past her and then her world was filled again by Roy. The music slowed and faded, and a light shone down on the two of them dancing. Roy whispered in her ear, "We'll talk about this more later," and knelt in front of her. "Riza Hawkeye, you've been my best friend our whole lives and we have been together for everything. We have seen beauty and fear, creation and destruction. I have felt I have been part of your family, and you have been a part of mine for some time now; I don't think we could be closer. Riza, will you marry me?" He produced a ring from his pocket as he spoke and opened it to her. It was a white gold band with a black pearl, surrounded by smaller white pearls, set into it. She took it from its casing and he helped her put it onto her finger.

It took her a moment, but she finally said, "Roy, you have known for some time now that I would die for you and give you anything I have got to give. In the past week, I have found that I will also live for you, but more than that, live with you. For some time, it's been that I couldn't imagine living without you, and I've vowed to protect you. I can't say I ever imagined our relationship would end up this way, but now that it has, I can't see a better way for it to be. I will marry you, Roy." With that, she helped him up to standing and he dipped her into a kiss.

Everyone who had been so silently waiting for her answer applauded for the beautiful couple. The music started up and they went back to dancing, Riza and Roy all but oblivious to the others and the music, but focused entirely on each other, specifically their eyes and the inside of the other's mouth. Occasionally, other couples or friends would come up to them and give them their congratulations, but mostly, they were whispered sweet nothings to each other for hours, kissed, and when they got back home, went to the same room for the first time.

Two months later they were married back in Amestris. It was a small ceremony, not wanting a big deal made of it, although Roy had tried to get her to concede to some media coverage. But in all, it was just family and close friends. Small as it was, it was amazing none the less. With white and gold streaming everywhere, it was elegant, and even Mother-in-Law Christmas wasn't tacky that day.

Riza closed her photo album with a sigh. The last photograph was a picture of Roy, smiling, young, and full of life, holding her, both in their wedding best. Chelsea was pulling at her sleeve, trying to get her to come play. Ten years had passed, they had settled down. Riza no longer worked and Roy had succeeded in his goals all too well. He had risen in his ranks, returned the country to a democracy. He and the other soldiers were tried for war crimes. Some were found guilty and were killed, and some were found guilty and pardoned. Both Roy and Riza had been dismissed from the military as an honorable discharge and banned from seeking office in the government. They didn't work; they were rich from the publicity, and spent much of their time traveling. Chelsea was beautiful, with her father's hair and eyes, and if she was feeling giggly, his smirk. Riza loved her more than life itself and together they were raising her properly.

In the fall, she would go to school. She was as brilliant as either of the two of them and they knew she could do anything she tried to do. The only question was; would she go to military school or learn alchemy from a private tutor?

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I remember there being ten chapters to this story...maybe the really long chapter in the beginning was supposed to be two chapters...whatever I'm not fixing it. And there you have it. I have no idea how this thing ends, but I hope you liked it well enough. Tell me what you think.


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